Innovation: Building to Extremes The eight-part INNOVATION series tells the dramatic stories behind some of today's most exciting breakthroughs, delving beyond the "wow" of technology and into the personalities, politics, inspirations and serendipity that take them from concept to reality. This episode examines the still-prevalent impulse to build the world's tallest building, and explores whether new materials and design techniques can overcome the safety issues that must be addressed in a post-September 11 world. When's it on? Visit the Site Why do you think great or powerful civilizations have striven to build high (instead of wide, e.g.)? Consider the word "skyscraper" itself: What does it mean to you? In the wake of September 11, do you think it's wise, or even ethical or moral, to build extremely high skyscrapers? Why or why not? How do you feel about the new building plans for the World Trade Center site? What do you think are the aesthetic considerations or ecological concerns, if any, connected with extremely high skyscrapers? Should there be different considerations when a super skyscraper is intended as a residential instead of a workplace structure? Why? Would you work in a super skyscraper? On the top floors? Would you live in one? Why or why not? The program mentions that the safest high-rise in the United States still falls short of the standards for Asian high-rises. What do you think about this? One of the engineers says that "we can't design for every type of catastrophe." What does this mean to you? Do you think there should be special regulations regarding the physically disabled working in high-rise buildings?
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